


no faul

by cigarettesandalcohol



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Affection, Gen, M/M, Manchester United, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Slash, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:00:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21832570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cigarettesandalcohol/pseuds/cigarettesandalcohol
Relationships: David De Gea/Victor Lindelöf
Comments: 8
Kudos: 36





	no faul

David saw the exact moment Victor's heart broke, it was well caught on the cameras. He watched the footage after the match, slightly bitter and even more disappointed, to see with his own eyes the milliseconds before the conceded goal, the huddle in front of his goal, the chaos of it all, the ball flying in and the hand in his face, and then the damned own goal. Victor looked shocked. Surprised at first, and then, as he managed to process what has happened, he just stared at the ball that's just hit the back of the net, and that was the moment David knew his heart sank.

They didn't really talk about the own goal. At half time, there were plenty of other problems to be discussed, and at full time, the bitter disappointment overshadowed everything. The gaffer tried to cheer them up, repeating the same old lines about the right spirit and progress which didn't seem to work today, and De Gea noticed how beaten up Victor looked as Solskjaer spoke, although nobody blamed him for the own goal. How could they? It was obviously not his fault, he just stood by the further post and couldn't see a thing. David intended to have a word with him, just try to cheer him up a bit, make sure to point out it was clearly a foul and the goal should have been disallowed, but Lindelöf sneaked out of the dressing room before he could catch up with him and later there wasn't a good chance for it.

Much later, already back home, he went through the video of that damned goal. It **was** a foul. What was the VAR even good for? Hand in a face, clearly. That's a foul.

He shook his head, replaying the same scene once again but this time, he didn't focus on himself. He only watched Lindelöf. It was so painfully obvious he had no chance to save himself - and the team - from the disastrous own goal, and just seeing him standing there, clearly in a state of shock, made David's heart clench. He couldn't even see the defender's face in that shot and still, he felt like he knew exactly what Victor felt at that moment. It had to be the same feeling of letting the team down; the feeling so familiar to him because he experienced it every time he just couldn't reach for the ball in the right moment and let a goal in.

On his way home, he actually almost forget about trying to talk to Victor but now, after he saw the video once again, he thought of trying to reach out to him - just to make sure everything is alright. He didn't mean to pamper Vic in any way, he was an adult, a professional and everything he needed to be, but maybe, just maybe, his few words of comfort could be helpful.

There were a few new notifications when he grabbed his phone and the one that caught his eye immediately was for a message from Victor himself, sent about an hour ago, with not much text in it. It was very simple, basic, and short: just " _i'm sorry_ " and an emoji of a broken heart. It was De Gea's heart that broke upon reading the message. How could Victor even write this? Sorry for _what_? He didn't do anything wrong, for God's sake. 

_sorry for what?_

_you played well today_

There was no immediate answer. David soon forgot about the phone as he tried to keep himself busy around the house with anything that would take his mind off the disappointing result. He only checked the phone again as he got in the bed.

_you know what I mean_

It was unusually cold, a short message like that from Victor, with no further explanation. David shook his head, sighing. The Iceman indeed. He put the phone back on the nightstand, not replying. There was hardly anything more to say. Of course, he _knew_ what Lindelöf meant. He wasn't stupid. 

He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling for a while. He couldn't help but think about Victor - is he doing the same now? Is he just lying in his bed, unable to fall asleep, still blaming himself? Maybe he's waiting for David's message. Maybe he's waiting for a few more words of reassurance. He knew Victor and he knew how hard-working he was, how determined he was to have good games - and how hard it would always hit him when he had a worse game.

Yeah, he definitely needs some words of support.

David reached for his phone again, squinting at the brightness of his screen.

_it should have never been allowed as a goal_

God, were they really going to continue in this miserable tone? 

_it wouldn't have happened if I wasn't standing there_

_Mother of God you pigheaded idiot!_ David actually typed furiously now.

_stop with that_

_Vic_

_it's not your fault_

_now and ever_

_I am the one in there to save those shots_

_but I'm there to protect you_

It sounded so noble - to _protect_ him. In a way, Victor was right. Who were the defenders if not just the guards of the goalposts and the goalkeeper? It still didn't sound right from him now. How could he have prevented the goal in that situation? With the help of some magical X-ray vision? No, there was no physically possible way Victor could have known where the ball was before it was too late for him.

_I'll never blame you for this_

_you know that_

_put yourself together, get some rest and stop worrying about the game_

;)

_thanks_

It didn't sound honest at all. David propped up his pillow and leaned back against it. 

_Really Vic just let it go_

_I can't_

_I want you to put that phone away and take deep breaths when we say goodbye_

_and just try to fall asleep_

_ok?_

_yes_

_will you do that?_

_of course_

The tension still felt unresolved. Dave shook his head again, resting his fingers for a while before typing in an answer.

_Victor, really_

_just take care of yourself, okay?_

_I want you to keep on protecting me in the next matches, deal?_

There was a few-minutes long silence before the reply came in.

_Deal_

_of course_

David smiled at the screen. Not much has changed about the messages, but somehow, now the situation seemed much better than before. He's always felt this kind of connection with Victor - it wasn't as much about changing his tone or style, he just could tell when Victor actually relaxed a bit.

_Is it better now?_

_probably, yeah_

_good then_

David put his phone back on the night table. He should have been sleeping by now, but he couldn't let Victor suffer alone, he didn't deserve that. Now at least it was all sorted out. Or was it? Dave stared at the ceiling once again, letting the doubts flood his mind. Maybe he shouldn't have let it go so far. He surely could have done more, at least now, after the actual match., when it didn't really matter anymore. 

He took the phone back in his hands.

_All good then?_

_yeah, great_

_thanks ;)_

David smiled at those messages. After all, if Vic wanted to be his protector, he should better learn some tricks and ways. 

The next message read only two words.

_Te quiero._

And finally, an emoji. 

But this time, the emoji heart was not broken.


End file.
